The North American bird conservation initiative in the United States

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The North American
Bird Conservation Initiative
in the United States:
A Vision of American Bird Conservation
U.S. NABCI Committee
September 2000
THE NORTH AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVATION INITIATIVE
IN THE UNITED STATES:
A Vision of American Bird Conservation
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Birds have always been a source of inspiration and fascination to people around the globe
and from all walks of life. In the United States, nature-based recreation—from backyard
feeders to regional festivals—is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry. In 1996,
approximately 160 million Americans, or 77% of the population, spent $29.2 billion to
observe, photograph, or feed wildlife—an increase of more than 39% since 1991. If wildlife
watching were a corporation, it would have ranked 23rd on the Fortune 500 list that year.
A high percentage of this recreation involves birds. Birding is growing faster than many
other outdoor recreational activities such as biking, pleasure walking, skiing, and golfing; it
increased 200% from 21 million participants in 1982-83 to an estimated 63 million in 1997.
Birders spend some $20 billion annually in seed, travel, and equipment. The number of major
birding festivals has grown from five in 1985 to 140 in 1999. At a National level, economic
activity directly associated with enjoyment of birds generated over 191,000 jobs and more
than $895 million in sales and income tax revenues in 1991. In addition, three million
migratory bird hunters generated $1.3 billion in retail sales, having a total economic
multiplier effect of $3.9 billion—considering the 46,000 additional jobs and $176 million in
sales and income tax revenues produced.
America’s bird population, however, is showing an alarming decline. Long-term radar
records reveal that numbers of migratory birds passing over the Louisiana Gulf Coast have
declined by half since the 1960s. Birds such as the cerulean warbler, king rail, loggerhead
shrike, and painted bunting have exhibited a striking decline of 60-75%. The ruffed grouse,
eastern meadowlark, northern bobwhite, and American bittern have lost 50-58% of their
populations, while even more well-known birds such as the robin, goldfinch, and whip-poor-will
have declined by about 20% in recent years. In greatest jeopardy are the 85 bird species
currently on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s threatened and endangered species list.
Many federal, state, and non-governmental wildlife agencies and organizations working in
the United States and abroad have noted the development of this alarming trend. To address
the needs of various bird groups, they have joined forces in several extensive partnerships.
Some of these individual initiatives include:
· North American Waterfowl Management Plan
· Partners in Flight
· U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan
· North American Colonial Waterbird Conservation Plan
ii
While these efforts have generated some successes, it has been increasingly recognized that
the overlapping conservation interests of these initiatives could be better served through more
integrated planning and delivery of bird conservation. The North American Bird
Conservation Initiative in the United States (NABCI-US) arose out of this realization.
The vision of NABCI-US is simply to see:
Populations and habitats of North America’s birds protected, restored, and
enhanced through coordinated efforts at international, national, regional, state,
and local levels, guided by sound science and effective management.
The NABCI-US seeks to accomplish this vision by (1) broadening bird conservation
partnerships; (2) working to increase the financial resources available for conserving birds in
the United States and wherever else they may occur throughout their life cycle; and (3)
enhancing the effectiveness of those resources and partnerships by facilitating integrated bird
conservation.
The NABCI-US will be guided by a set of principles that establish an operational framework
within which this initiative and its partners may conduct integrated bird conservation in the
United States and in other countries where these birds spend portions of their life cycles.
These principles will articulate a common understanding of the relationship between
NABCI-US, individual bird conservation initiatives, and partners. Such understanding will
insure recognition of federal legislative and international treaty obligations and state
authorities, and foster respect for the identity and autonomy of each initiative. A brief history
and status of the major North American bird conservation initiatives is included. The
fundamental components of the conservation approach to be used by NABCI-US are
expressed within its goal:
To deliver the full spectrum of bird conservation through regionally based,
biologically driven, landscape-oriented partnerships.
In striving to accomplish this goal, NABCI-US partners are working together “to take bird
conservation to the next level.”
Birds have a unique relationship with humans because they share our lives in ways that other
groups of wildlife species do not. Because of their unique status in human societies, the
protection and restoration of bird populations and habitats demands and deserves special
emphasis among our conservation efforts. Fortunately, these efforts will directly benefit the
environment and habitats shared by virtually all other species—including ours.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i
TABLE OF CONTENTS iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
INTRODUCTION 1
PURPOSE, VISION, AND GOAL 1
Purpose 1
Vision 2
Goal 2
ECONOMIC VALUE OF BIRDS 3
URGENCY AND NEED 4
OPPORTUNITY 5
PRINCIPLES 6
HISTORY AND STATUS OF BIRD CONSERVATION
INITIATIVES IN THE UNITED STATES 10
Background 10
Flyway Council System 11
North American Waterfowl Management Plan 12
Partners in Flight 13
United States Shorebird Conservation Plan 14
North American Colonial Waterbird Conservation Plan 15
North American Bird Conservation Initiative 15
CONSERVATION APPROACH 16
Establishing and Refining a Science Foundation 16
Toward Landscape-Level Conservation 17
Forging Broad Partnerships for Bird Conservation 18
THE BIRD CONSERVATION LANDSCAPE 18
ADMINISTRATION 20
iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The U.S. NABCI Committee gratefully acknowledges the efforts of the Interim U.S. NABCI
Steering Committee in drafting this document. Committee members devoted considerable
energies to accomplishing the task of developing this vision, working through many edifying
discussions, debates, and email exchanges to reach a consensus draft vision. The members of
that Committee were:
Scott C. Yaich, Chair
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Jon Andrew
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Bird Management
Ken Babcock
Ducks Unlimited
Vernon Bevill
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Stephen Brown
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences
James Kushlan
U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Research Division
Tony Melchiors
Weyerhaeuser Company
Gary Myers
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
David Pashley
American Bird Conservancy
David Smith
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of North American Waterfowl and Wetlands
Melanie Steinkamp
U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Research Division
In turn the Interim Committee members are grateful for having been provided the
opportunity to contribute to this effort. We acknowledge the efforts of the many individuals
who provided comments and suggestions that contributed to the constructive revision of this
document. Their efforts helped forge a vision that we hope will help provide focus to the
direction of bird conservation in the United States and beyond during these early years of the
21st century.
THE NORTH AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVATION INITIATIVE
IN THE UNITED STATES:
A Vision of American Bird Conservation
INTRODUCTION
Birds. Their capacity for flight has always captured our imagination and been the envy of
earth-bound humans. It also accounts for their widespread distribution; a characteristic
shared by humans that further strengthens our truly unique relationship with birds. Why
do we thrill to the sight of the first robin of the spring, a pair of wild turkeys, or a
solitary bald eagle gliding across a lake? How many of us have paused
while raking leaves in the fall to reflect on the wonders of migration as
we watched and listened to a flock of geese overhead traveling south?
How many times have we camped in the woods with our families, perhaps
beside a lake, and listened thoughtfully as whip-poor-wills or owls called in
the darkness? How many sunbathers have peacefully watched pelicans skim the
surf, or smiled at shorebirds racing up and down the beach at the edge of the waves?
How many of us have been struck by the fragility of life and felt sadness in finding the
lifeless form of a small bird which failed to comprehend “window”?
We as individuals and as a society have a unique relationship with birds, which touch us in
ways that other wildlife species do not. Because of their special status in our society and their
unique behaviors and habits, there is a growing sense of urgency among us to ensure their
conservation. Fortunately, this status provides an opportunity for bird conservation to serve
as an “umbrella” for the conservation of other wildlife species, biological diversity, and
natural resources. Thus, the vision of protecting and restoring the populations and habitats
of North America’s birds demands and deserves special emphasis among conservation
efforts—and the time is now.
PURPOSE, VISION, AND GOAL
· Purpose
In 1962, four years before the initiation of the Breeding Bird Survey, Rachel Carson elevated
the issue of declining bird populations within the national consciousness through her book
Silent Spring. She was among the first to sound the alarm on behalf of bird conservation in a
way that resonated with the public. Carson dedicated her book to Dr. Albert Schweitzer,
citing his quote:
“Man has lost the capacity to foresee and to forestall.
He will end by destroying the earth.”
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Fortunately, attitudes toward conservation have progressed since 1962 and we now have
more reason for cautious optimism. We have begun to foresee solutions to the problems
confronting bird conservation, although the broad-based commitment necessary to reverse
the declines has yet to be fully made. We have even begun to forestall some of the problems,
but on a limited basis and for a minority of bird species.
Bird conservation stands at the edge of a major advancement. This document portrays a
vision for the future of bird conservation in the United States, and lays out a fundamental
process that can “take bird conservation to the next level” across North America and beyond.
In so doing, its primary purposes are to help:
(1) initiate and broaden bird conservation partnerships;
(2) increase financial resources available for conserving birds in the United States
and wherever else they may occur during their life cycles; and,
(3) enhance the effectiveness of those resources and partnerships by facilitating
integrated bird conservation.
· Vision
The vision of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative in the United States (NABCI-US),
for the enjoyment of current and future generations, is to see:
Populations and habitats of North America’s birds protected, restored, or enhanced
through coordinated efforts at international, national, regional, state, and local
levels, guided by sound science and effective management.
The focus of this document is a bird conservation vision for the United States. However,
most bird species in the United States are migratory and many have a continental, even
hemispheric, geographic distribution. For U.S. efforts to be successful, they must also
address the needs of these birds while outside the United States. Thus, U.S. efforts must
include a strong international component. Integrated delivery of the U.S. initiative with and
through the broader North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI), along with
actions beyond our continental borders, are necessary for the successful realization of this
vision.
· Goal
The goal of the NABCI-US is:
To deliver the full spectrum of bird conservation through regionally based,
biologically driven, landscape-oriented partnerships.
3
ECONOMIC VALUE OF BIRDS
Birds not only inspire our poets and our spirits, but also provide the basis for a significant
and rapidly growing economy. Our level of participation in bird-related recreation is a strong
indicator of their value to society. Nature-based recreation is the fastest growing segment of
the tourism industry, increasing approximately 30% annually since 1987. Seventy-seven
percent of U.S. citizens, or 160 million, spent $29.2 billion in 1996 to observe, photograph,
or feed wildlife—39% more dollars than 1991. If wildlife watching were a corporation, it
would have ranked 23rd on the Fortune 500 list that year.
A high proportion of nature-based tourism includes birds. Birding is growing
faster than many other outdoor recreational activities such as biking,
pleasure walking, skiing, and golfing. It increased 200% from 21 million
participants in 1982-83 to an estimated 63 million in 1997. Collectively,
birders spend approximately $20 billion per year on backyard bird-feeding,
travel, and paraphernalia. An active group, 24.7 million birders
took trips away from home in 1991 to participate in birding activities,
spending $5.2 billion on goods and services.
The number of significant birding festivals across the Nation soared from five in 1985 to 140
in 1999. The Texas Rio Grande Birding Festival generated $266,000 for the local economy in
1994; this exploded to $1.6 million only two years later. In fact, revenue from birding-related
tourism in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas now exceeds that from the area’s citrus
industry. Similarly, the Delaware Bay shore and Cape May peninsula of New Jersey receive
more than $40 million annually from birders alone. At a National level, economic activity
directly associated with the non-consumptive enjoyment of birds generated 191,000 jobs and
more than $895 million in sales and income tax revenues in 1991. In addition, three million
migratory bird hunters generated $1.3 billion in retail sales, having a total economic
multiplier effect of $3.9 billion—considering the 46,000 additional jobs and $176 million in
sales and income tax revenues produced.
These examples illustrate the actual and potential economic benefits of birds and their
conservation. However, there are also important economic costs of failing to conserve birds.
There are approximately 85 bird species on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s threatened
and endangered species list. If bird populations decline to the level of being threatened or
endangered, costs for their conservation escalate dramatically. For example, in 1995, $18.5
million was spent on the conservation and recovery of the northern spotted owl, while $15.7
million was spent on the marbled murrelet, $8.3 million on the red-cockaded woodpecker,
and $6.4 million on the bald eagle.
Birds are integral parts of our landscapes, performing important, sometimes irreplaceable
functions carrying tremendous costs to society should they be lost or diminished. Birds
pollinate plants, disperse seeds, are critical links in the food web, and play significant roles in
insect pest control. Insects and pathogens cause greater forest losses than any other agent,
including fire. One study documented that insect-eating forest birds reduced the number of
insects on white oak saplings by half, enhancing tree growth and resulting in approximately
17% greater biomass production. With a projected loss of 28 million acres of forest land and
4
an estimated 40% increase in wood consumption by 2040, the Nation can ill-afford additional
losses in productivity due to declining populations of insect-eating forest birds in our
remaining forest lands.
URGENCY AND NEED
Over 700 bird species occur in the United States. Populations of many once-common birds
are gradually shifting toward scarcity while other species, such as the double-crested
cormorant, lesser snow goose, and giant Canada goose, have adapted perhaps too well to our
altered environment. Addressing both scarcity and overabundance is a significant challenge
for bird conservation today.
One expression of the current vision of bird conservation is “to keep common birds
common.” Perhaps the most startling concern involves well-known species that are slipping
gradually out of the ranks of the common and into those of the rare. Cerulean warblers have
declined an average of 4.2% per year, or an alarming 75% overall since 1966. Similarly
striking declines of 60-70% have been documented for the olive-sided flycatcher, king rail,
loggerhead shrike, painted bunting, and black tern; and 50-58% declines for the ruffed
grouse, eastern meadowlark, northern bobwhite, and American bittern. Even some of the
most common birds are becoming less so. For example, how many people realize that
American goldfinch and whip-poor-will populations have declined by approximately 20%
since 1966?
Unfortunately, these examples are not unique or isolated. Long-term radar records show that
in the late 1980’s only half as many waves of migratory birds passed over the Louisiana Gulf
Coast than in the 1960’s. Among those species highly associated with grasslands, population
indices for only two have increased since 1966, whereas 23 have decreased. Over the last
quarter century, 18 of the 24 species of shorebirds for which data are available have also
shown notable declines.
Birds that migrate to the Neotropics in the winter comprise up to 80% of the species nesting
in eastern deciduous forests. Eighty percent of these are the insectivores so important to
forest health and productivity. From 1978 to 1987, 45% of these species declined
significantly. Over the last 30 years, 8 of the 19 forest-breeding species in the Blue Ridge
Mountains and 13 of the 44 in the Adirondacks have also declined. Of the 417 species
monitored by the Breeding Bird Survey since 1966, approximately 50% exhibit long-term
declining trends.
The urgency to address bird conservation can be highlighted using the example of the piping
plover, listed as endangered in 1985. If the current decline of 7% per year continues, the
piping plover will be extinct in about 80 years. The Great Plains population objective is
2,550 pairs. If management actions could reverse the declining population trend and foster an
annual 1% increase beginning today, the species would reach its target population for
de-listing in 53 years. However, a delay of only 1 year in reversing that declining population
trend delays reaching the recovery level by 13 years; and a delay of 5 years postpones
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attainment of the objective by 63 years. Thus, the biological realities of the dramatic, long-term
declines of many bird populations, coupled with the societal and economic incentives
for their conservation, illustrate the urgency facing bird conservation.
One of the best-known bird-based metaphors is “a canary in a coal mine.” It was once a
common practice for miners to take canaries into mines with them to serve as “living
alarms” for environmental danger. Being more sensitive than humans to poisonous gases in
the mines, dying canaries warned miners to get out before they too were overcome. In the
simple ecosystem of a coal mine composed only of rock, air, miners, and canaries, an
environmental challenge such as poisonous gas can rapidly and noticeably upset the entire
ecosystem. Today, many believe that birds in our natural ecosystems are serving as present-day
canaries in the coal mine. Although the complexities and subtleties of natural ecosystems
generally preclude anything as sudden and dramatic as a dead canary in a cage, declines in
many of our bird populations may be warning us of environmental challenges that also bear
danger for our society and quality of life if not addressed.
OPPORTUNITY
Tremendous potential exists to improve bird conservation, including all aspects of protection,
restoration, and enhancement in the United States and abroad. Currently there is a growing
level of public interest in and support for birds. We are also experiencing an unprecedented
period of economic prosperity. There are many strong existing partnerships to build upon, as
well as new ones being formed, for planning and implementing bird conservation.
Fortunately, we have excellent models from which to learn.
Restoration of the bald eagle and peregrine falcon involved highly successful bird
conservation efforts using the single-species approach. Cooperative management actions
between Federal and state agencies and private conservation organizations resulted in the
removal of both species from the Federal list of endangered species.
Applying a more integrated ecosystem approach, the North American Waterfowl
Management Plan (NAWMP) is pre-eminent among successful bird conservation models.
Since 1986, its implementation has helped increase many waterfowl populations. Most
importantly, it institutionalized partnerships as the best avenue to successful wildlife resource
conservation. State and federal agencies had long been partners in managing waterfowl
populations, but the NAWMP provided clear goals and structure to these partnerships to
conserve wetland habitats. It explicitly brought the private sector into these partnerships as
well—most prominently Ducks Unlimited (DU).
6
Serving as a catalyst, DU worked with government agencies to successfully establish public
policy, and it solicited the voluntary, but very active involvement of private landowners and
other private entities across the continent. The focus of NAWMP partnerships on the
protection, restoration, and enhancement of wetlands and waterfowl habitats has
demonstrated that a landscape approach to bird conservation can be successful. These efforts
have also clearly shown that a habitat focus provides benefits to many species beyond those
targeted, and that an ecosystem or landscape approach attracts a broader array of partners.
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act has likewise been a critical catalyst for
ensuring the viability of these conservation approaches and successfully putting them to work
across the national landscape.
The greatest opportunities we have are the expanding partnerships designed to conduct fully
integrated bird conservation. State and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations
have been working together over the last decade to plan and implement the future of bird
conservation with an eye toward integrating their efforts. Grassroots support for addressing
the needs of all wildlife is growing, as evidenced by the public support that Partners in Flight
and other bird initiatives are experiencing, and by the breadth of the Teaming With Wildlife
coalition. This support will continue to increase dramatically.
It is apparent from examples such as the bald eagle and waterfowl that, once brought to the
Nation’s attention, support for bird conservation is broad and deep. The message is clear:
birds are important to the people of the United States and their populations should not be
allowed to decline further; but rather should be restored and maintained. The stage is set to
move beyond conservation targeted on a few high-profile species or even a group of species
and their habitats. Clearly, we are on the threshold of a new era of comprehensive, integrated
bird conservation—and we must seize this opportunity.
PRINCIPLES
The NABCI-US will be guided by principles that establish an operational framework and
sideboards within which this initiative and its partners will conduct integrated bird
conservation in the United States and beyond. These principles address the fundamental
components of the NABCI-US goal to deliver the full spectrum of bird conservation
through regionally based, biologically driven, landscape-oriented partnerships.
“Deliver the full spectrum of bird conservation…”
¨ There are federal legislative and treaty obligations, as well as state mandates, for the
conservation and management of birds.
¨ The NABCI-US will respect the identity and autonomy of all individual bird
initiatives (e.g., North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Partners in Flight,
U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, North American Colonial Waterbird
Conservation Plan).
7
¨ Financial resources necessary for comprehensive bird conservation in the United
States can be marshaled more effectively by a broad, robust coalition of bird
interests than by the individual efforts of separate initiatives.
¨ Financial resources marshaled for bird conservation can be used more effectively
when management needs and actions (1) address the needs of birds at the most
crucial points in their life cycles and, (2) are integrated across landscapes providing
the greatest benefit for the broadest array of species.
Migratory bird treaties with Canada and Mexico have served as long-standing, enduring
international conservation agreements. The treaties and their implementing acts grant
ultimate responsibility for safeguarding and managing migratory birds in the United States to
the Federal government. However, state wildlife conservation agencies have long been
partners in this effort, exercising a shared responsibility for the management of these species.
Conversely, authority for resident bird species remains with the states, although the Federal
government in various ways has been a partner in their conservation. In addition, both
migratory and resident bird species and their habitats are the focus of numerous private
organizations representing millions of members. Also, private landowners, through
individual action and voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs, have contributed
significantly to bird conservation.
Not long ago, “migratory bird conservation” was synonymous with waterfowl and migratory
game bird management. Due to the phenomenal growth of outdoor recreation involving non-game
birds and the documentation of long-term declines of many of these species, interest
among the public, scientists, and managers has increased dramatically. The concern
generated by this interest is reflected in the growing number of individual initiatives and
organizations with a central bird conservation mission. Understanding that federal and state
wildlife agencies are mandated to conserve all birds, bird conservation demands that
attention be placed on the full array of species throughout the future.
“ …through regionally based, … “
¨ The NABCI-US will promote comprehensive bird conservation based on similarities
within geographic regions regarding habitat types, ecosystem components,
management issues, and successful conservation approaches.
¨ A common ecological framework is essential to efficient planning, implementation,
and evaluation processes for delivering the full spectrum of bird conservation.
¨ The organization of regional partnerships to deliver bird conservation will be based
on a sound ecological framework and practical administrative and economic
considerations defined by partners.
Regionally based partnerships are essential for the effective delivery of integrated bird
conservation. Various groups of birds often share habitats and conservation challenges.
8
Similarities in land-use patterns and natural ecosystems exist within identifiable geographic
regions of the United States, providing a logical framework for bird conservation. In
addition, the people, communities, and organizations within regions can work together more
readily in partnerships because of common concerns and opportunities. These similarities
provide tremendous opportunities to organize partnerships to deliver management within
geographically identified bird conservation regions.
“ … biologically driven, … “
¨ The NABCI-US will be based on the best available scientific information.
¨ An adaptive approach to bird conservation is necessary to build our knowledge in
concert with our management actions.
¨ Effective conservation of bird populations and habitats depe nds on an
understanding of the responses of populations to habitat alterations and
management actions, and is driven by linkages between population and habitat
objectives.
Waterfowl have been the focus of research for more than 50 years, yet significant
deficiencies in knowledge still exist. Major information gaps likewise prevail regarding the
population biology and management of many other bird species. Monitoring bird populations
is a necessary first step in focusing conservation efforts. In addition, scientific information
relating habitat alteration and management actions to changes in bird populations is essential
for measuring effectiveness and refining management actions. The NABCI-US must be
science-based to most effectively use the financial resources dedicated to bird conservation.
“ … landscape-oriented … “
¨ Bird populations respond to landscape-level conditions, as well as changes in those
conditions, throughout their population ranges.
¨ Bird conservation objectives should be incorporated into existing natural resource
practices and programs as much as possible.
¨ The NABCI-US will promote sustainable land-use and management practices most
compatible with bird conservation.
¨ Bird conservation can help provide for the conservation of other wildlife groups and
natural resources from a broader perspective.
Birds exist within landscapes that serve a variety of purposes. Incorporating “greenspace”
into urban and suburban development now will certainly play a role in the future of bird
conservation. Agricultural practices and Federal farm policies have important, direct effects
9
on bird conservation efforts because many landscapes are predominantly agricultural.
Management of private and public forests, grasslands, and wetlands affects landscapes at
regional scales. Clearly, the broad habitat implications of responsible bird conservation both
within and outside the United States can directly benefit many other groups of wildlife
sharing the same landscapes. Furthermore, a landscape approach allows bird conservation to
be successfully integrated into sustainable land-use patterns, helping to meet the current and
future needs of society.
“ … partnerships. “
¨ Effective bird conservation depends on the cooperation of independent agencies and
organizations at international, national, regional, state, and local geographic scales.
¨ The NABCI-US will build and strengthen the diverse linkages among public
agencies, private organizations, landowners, and individuals at all geographic levels
of conservation delivery.
¨ Bird conservation efforts will include a broad array of options, emphasizing policies
that promote voluntary stewardship approaches and strategies that are highly
leveraged to maximize the use of scarce resources.
¨ Bird conservation partners will identify and resolve potential conflicts among
priority bird conservation needs within a geographic area.
¨ Through training and education-based partnerships, the NABCI-US will broaden
public awareness about the importance and relevance of bird conservation to
society.
The single most important component of bird conservation is partnerships. In any
cooperative venture, each partner—federal, state, tribal, non-governmental, or individual—
must come to the table voluntarily and be willing to share its resources to achieve common
goals. Successful partnerships contain partners that understand and respect each other’s
independent missions. They also find common ground and follow management actions that
result in the most efficient use of resources. Because of legislative mandates, the Federal
government must take the lead in providing the basic resources required for integrated bird
conservation across state and national boundaries; but it must also seek a broad partnership
among the states, non-governmental organizations, and private citizens. Successful
conservation partnership models like the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and
the North American Wetlands Conservation Act show the way, providing a working
foundation upon which to build broader, deeper partnerships on behalf of bird conservation
in the United States and beyond.
10
HISTORY AND STATUS OF BIRD CONSERVATION INITIATIVES
In the United States
Background
The surge of interest in birds has resulted in several unprecedented bird conservation
initiatives such as the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Partners in Flight, the
U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, and the North American Colonial Waterbird Conservation
Plan. The North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) as a whole is facilitating
linkages among these individual initiatives, both within and among the United States,
Mexico, and Canada. Since no two countries are alike, each one decides for itself how best to
advance the common principles of NABCI within its borders. The following overview of the
evolution of bird conservation in the United States provides an important context for
understanding the trajectory of bird conservation efforts today.
Bird conservation in the United States is rooted in history, public attitudes, and landscape
protection. Designation of the first National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in 1903—an 8-acre
island off the coast of Florida—marked an important point in the history of bird
conservation. Pelican Island NWR was established to protect pelicans and other colonial
nesting birds from the excessive millinery trade. By this time, it had become clear that
unregulated market hunting, or the harvest of wildlife for profit, was a significant threat to
birds. State and Federal agencies responded with laws regulating hunting and initiated
biological studies to learn more about bird population dynamics. Internationally, the 1916
and 1936 Migratory Bird Conventions with Canada and Mexico, respectively, and the 1918
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) regulated the take of migratory birds in North America.
They also made migratory bird protection a responsibility of the federal governments. A
strong tradition of international cooperation in waterfowl population surveys and harvest
management followed.
As human use of the continent intensified, so did the loss of and adverse impacts on bird
habitats. In response, federal and state governments accelerated acquisition and management
of the most critical habitats. Waterfowl were a major focus, particularly for the NWR system.
State land acquisition often revolved around game species because its primary source of
funding came from hunters and anglers. Later, endangered species and other migratory birds
gained more prominence in the setting of conservation priorities on public lands. More recent
habitat-focused international agreements, such as the 1971 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
of International Importance, have provided a framework for national action and international
cooperation for the conservation of wetlands and their resources.
Throughout the 20th century, the role of citizens and non-governmental organizations has
been pivotal in moving the Nation’s bird conservation agenda forward. The three major bird-focused
crises of the last 100 years include the “plume crisis” of the first decade, the Dust
Bowl Era of the 1920’s and 30’s, and the post-WWII pesticide crisis. Citizens assertively
responded to these events by pushing governmental action and legislative resolutions such as
the MBTA, Lacey Act, Federal Duck Stamp Program, NWR system expansion, Pittman-
Robertson Act, and Endangered Species Act. They banded together to form organizations
such as the National Audubon Society, Ducks Unlimited, National Wildlife Federation, and
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many others that worked to actively promote these bird conservation measures—and still
aggressively do so today. The positive actions of the past were a direct result of the
grassroots actions of citizens and non-governmental organizations.
Now at the start of the 21st century, with populations of many birds still declining, even more
concerted actions and innovative solutions are needed to achieve our bird conservation goals.
The major individual bird conservation initiatives in the United States, and the
comprehensive, international focus of NABCI, arose out of a recognition that effective bird
conservation requires:
�� a strong scientific understanding of birds, their habitats, and population phenomena;
· conservation and management at local, landscape, continental, and hemispheric scales;
and
· the involvement of all elements of human society that affect and are affected by changes
in bird populations.
Flyway Council System
The flyway council system pioneered the first formalized, interagency, cooperative
partnership on behalf of migratory bird management in North America. This system enabled
states, the Federal government, and several non-governmental organizations to develop the
processes and working relationships needed for co-managing the migratory bird resource. In
so doing, this system laid the critical foundation for the creation of future migratory bird
initiatives such as the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.
In 1947, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated four “flyways” as bio-administrative
units within which to manage waterfowl populations. States quickly recognized
the flyway system as an opportunity for cooperative management of
waterfowl and as a forum for promoting states’ interests in the
regulatory process. Resolution Number 10 was passed in 1951 by
the International Association of Game, Fish, and Conservation
Commissioners (now the International Association of Fish and
Wildlife Agencies [IAFWA]), and in 1952, councils were formed
for the Pacific, Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic Flyways. A
primary purpose of the council system was to establish hunting
regulations based on waterfowl biology and distribution, as well
as to acknowledge different hunting interests and conditions across the country. The National
Waterfowl Council, composed of a representative from each flyway council, was formed in
1953 to further each council’s objectives.
Today, the councils serve as the primary administrative vehicles for provinces, states, and
federal agencies to cooperatively manage waterfowl populations. Although the original role
of the councils focused heavily on hunting regulations, they soon began to address broader
waterfowl-related issues. Now, the councils work to better understand and improve
conditions for waterfowl productivity, distribution, harvest, and habitat management.
12
Technical advisory committees have been established within each flyway to better address
issues such as these.
In 1995, the IAFWA conducted a Flyway System Review and recommended that the
management of all migratory birds be coordinated through the flyway councils. For example,
councils may consider establishing new technical committees, in addition to waterfowl and
webless game bird committees, to address issues associated with other bird populations in the
flyways. Currently, coot, gallinule, rail, and snipe seasons are set in reference to flyways.
Also, mourning dove and woodcock management units have been modeled after the flyway
concept.
The North American Waterfowl Management Plan
Migratory bird conservation entered a new phase when the United States and Canada signed
the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (Plan) in 1986, followed by Mexico in
1994. This international agreement challenged conservationists in North
America to restore waterfowl populations to levels recorded in the 1970’s.
Most importantly, it directed that this be accomplished by creating
sustainable landscapes for waterfowl using unprecedented
partnerships among the federal, state, and private sectors. Many
factors contributed to the success of the Plan, but a focused and
organized constituency was particularly key. This constituency
facilitated the passage of the 1989 North American Wetlands
Conservation Act—the primary funding tool for habitat conservation
under the Plan.
Over the last decade, Plan partners have created a highly successful model for effective
conservation: regional partnerships called “joint ventures” that deliver biologically based
habitat conservation on landscapes important to waterfowl. Each of the 11 U.S. habitat joint
ventures is guided by an implementation plan laying out measurable population targets and
corresponding habitat objectives. Population targets are linked to continental population
goals expressed in the Plan.
More than 4.9 million acres of wetlands and associated upland habitats have been conserved
in the United States under the Plan, at an investment of over $1.5 billion. These efforts, and
those of other wildlife and agricultural conservation policies and programs, have contributed
significantly to the rebound of most waterfowl species. However, the work of waterfowl
conservation is not done. Increased demands on natural resources from a growing human
population and the cyclic return to below-average water conditions in breeding areas will
depress waterfowl populations again in the future. Furthermore, the monitoring of several
species, including sea ducks, is still not sufficient to adequately assess their status, but they
are suspected to be declining.
Plan partners are faced with the challenge of carrying waterfowl conservation’s tremendous
momentum into the next century. Their conservation efforts must be woven into the rapidly
changing and more complex social, economic, and environmental fabric of the 21st century.
13
Trends point to increased urbanization, a declining proportion of hunters, increasing numbers
of birdwatchers, increasing demands for grain, and global climate change. Plan partners are
working to respond to the management implications of these trends and also strengthen the
biological foundation of waterfowl conservation.
Partners In Flight
Partners In Flight (PIF) is a consortium of public and private organizations and individuals
working to conserve landbirds throughout the Western Hemisphere. Its guiding principles are
to restore populations of the most imperiled species and to prevent other birds from
becoming endangered—“keeping common birds common.” Because landbirds are
spread diffusely across every habitat type on the continent, PIF may face the
most complex challenges among the bird initiatives. Populations of
landbirds that can adapt to the dominating presence of humans are
thriving, while many less adaptable species are declining. Identifying
precise causes of decline is difficult, particularly for migratory species
that depend on several habitat types during an annual cycle. Problems
facing landbirds often stem from land use driven by societal needs for food,
fiber, and living space. Thus, landbird conservation requires a commitment to research and
monitoring, and an even more fundamental commitment to developing alliances with people
who own, manage, and make decisions about land. Strengthening the link between science
and bird conservation lies at the core of the PIF philosophy.
Partners anticipate completing the Regional Bird Conservation Plans for landbirds in the
continental United States by the end of 2000. These plans are based upon species
prioritization, resulting in a list of landbirds requiring conservation attention in each region,
grouped according to shared habitats. Conditions of priority habitats are then assessed and
management recommendations are directed thereafter at habitats, not at individual bird
species. The plans strive to present scientifically credible, yet realistic population and habitat
objectives, considering current ecological conditions and social and economic realities. With
these regional plans, PIF is contributing significantly to more strategic, comprehensive, and
effective bird conservation.
Over the past decade, PIF’s network of thousands of partners has been involved in a diversity
of proactive conservation activities including research and monitoring, habitat management
and restoration, technical assistance to federal agencies and other landowners, policy
development and advocacy, and outreach and education. Partners have worked at all
geographic levels and throughout the Western Hemisphere. However, to be most effective,
its activities need to be part of a larger, integrated strategy for delivering bird conservation at
all spatial scales.
14
United States Shorebird Conservation Plan
Shorebirds are among the most amazing migratory birds, generally traveling the longest
distances and being on the move the greatest amount of time each year. They seem to “follow
the sun,” tracking bursts of food resources as they become available, pausing briefly to breed
at the northern end of their route before heading south again. Many species concentrate at a
series of critical stop-over sites stretching from the Arctic Ocean to the tip of South America.
Their natural history is so distinctive that novel conservation actions are needed.
Most shorebirds depend on wetlands for all or much of their life cycles. Habitat loss and
various types of degradation, such as human disturbance, pollution, food depletion, and
increasing threats from predators, are the main pressures affecting
shorebird population declines. Without remedial conservation efforts,
these pressures can be expected to increase in the future. Focused
conservation actions and integrated management practices are needed to
prevent additional shorebird species from becoming threatened or endangered.
The Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network was founded in 1986 to
identify and encourage protection of the most important stop-over and
wintering sites in North and South America. This and other conservation
efforts in the United States and abroad (e.g., the East Asian Australasian Shorebird Reserve
Network) have been very successful at protecting some of the most critical sites and at
raising awareness of the special requirements of shorebirds. However, these efforts have been
insufficient to secure stable or increasing populations of many species. Ongoing conservation
challenges have highlighted the need for comprehensive planning to address critical aspects
of shorebird life history.
The U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan (USSCP) was initiated in 1996 to address this need.
The USSCP is a partnership effort designed to ensure that populations of all shorebird
species are protected or restored to a healthy condition. This shorebird plan, completed in
April 2000, lays out conservation goals for 11 shorebird management regions of the United
States and identifies critical habitat conservation and key research needs. It also proposes
education and outreach programs to increase awareness about shorebirds and their unique
needs.
Fortunately, many shorebird conservation needs are compatible with those of waterfowl. The
natural synergy developing between the USSCP and the North American Waterfowl
Management Plan is beneficial for both groups of species. Because many shorebirds use
upland habitats for nesting or foraging, USSCP objectives are also being aligned with those
being developed by Partners in Flight—further contributing to the integration of bird
conservation needs.
15
North American Colonial Waterbird Conservation Plan
This newest bird conservation initiative addresses the needs of colonial waterbirds, which
includes a broad array of bird species such as herons and egrets, gulls and terns, and many
seabirds. As with waterfowl and shorebirds, protection or restoration of aquatic and wetland
habitat is needed for many waterbird species. Still others forage along shorelines and in the
open ocean, where problems such as pollution and conflicts with recreation
and fisheries must be addressed. Some species such as the double-crested
cormorant are overabundant, posing unique challenges to population
management. The conservation needs of colonial waterbirds must be
addressed on a large geographic scale due to their wide distribution,
with some breeding in the United States and Canada and wintering as far south
as Mexico or the Caribbean. Maintaining North American populations at
appropriate levels, therefore, depends on planning, inventory, monitoring, and
management actions on an international and continental scale.
The weak link in the life cycle of all of these birds is their propensity to nest in colonies. Loss
of a colony can mean loss of a local population or, in a few cases, extinction of a species.
While colonies are sensitive to a wide range of human disturbances, they are particularly
susceptible to new or imbalanced predator populations (e.g., rats and cats on nesting islands,
and burgeoning gull populations along coastlines).
The North American Colonial Waterbird Conservation Plan (NACWCP) began in 1998 and
followed the lead of other successful plans by relying on voluntary partnerships, strong
science, and the development of explicit objectives. Components of this plan focus on
research and information needs, monitoring, management, and education and outreach. The
NACWCP will also coordinate with other bird conservation initiatives to identify regional
conservation goals and key habitats, delineate critical research needs, and develop public
outreach materials and training programs. The plan’s international strategy will be completed
by December 2000, and its accompanying regional plans will be available in 2001.
North American Bird Conservation Initiative
The individual bird conservation initiatives have come to recognize their common bond of
shared migratory bird habitats. The leaders of each initiative understand that there is not only
common ground in the biological landscape, but also significant overlap in institutional
frameworks on which the foundation for delivering comprehensive, coordinated migratory
bird conservation can be based. However, prior to 1998, no effective mechanism for
coordination existed. And although the major current initiatives deal with most birds, some
groups such as rails and other non-colonial waterbirds are not included. Geographically, the
North American Waterfowl Management Plan covers the United States, Canada, and Mexico,
and the North American Colonial Waterbird Plan addresses all of North and Central America
and the Caribbean. Partners in Flight’s Bird Conservation Plans and the U.S. Shorebird
Conservation Plan include only the United States.
16
In 1998, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation stimulated increased international
cooperation. Participants from Canada, the United States, and Mexico brought into existence
the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI). NABCI does not limit the
autonomy or independence of any of its participants, but rather seeks to increase the
effectiveness of the separate initiatives by integrating conservation objectives and project
implementation. NABCI is also working to increase the resources available for bird
conservation. In short, NABCI is a tool to help “take bird conservation to the next level.”
Any success in achieving that goal will be a reflection of the level of desire and commitment
of the individual bird conservation initiatives and their partners to work together to deliver
the full spectrum of bird conservation through regionally based, biologically driven,
landscape-oriented partnerships.
CONSERVATION APPROACH
The success of NABCI will ultimately depend upon acceptance and use of a conservation
approach that is grounded in sound science and landscape-level, partner-driven delivery.
Fortunately, this approach is increasingly being adopted by the individual initiatives.
· Establishing and Refining a Science Foundation
The role of science in bird conservation
Successful conservation must be based on sound science, a precept reflected
in the phrase "biologically-driven". To achieve the goal of integrated bird
conservation, there must be a solid underlying foundation of scientific
knowledge about birds and the threats they face. This scientific foundation
allows goals to be applied to specific conservation projects that manage birds
and their habitats. Science provides the information needed to effectively
identify and address critical conservation needs. Effective conservation requires an
understanding of the threats birds face, and the critical life history stages and
geographic locations at which populations are limited. Unfortunately, this understanding
is insufficient or altogether lacking for most birds.
Fundamental scientific information must be developed to guide the refinement of bird
conservation priorities, support the design and development of critical conservation projects,
and help measure the effectiveness of our actions in meeting our goals. There must be a
commitment to this scientific process, even as we must also continue making management
decisions without complete information.
17
Integrated Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation
Effective conservation requires a dynamic process of (1) strategic planning, (2)
implementation of management actions, and (3) evaluation of effectiveness. This process of
“adaptive resource management” allows managers and scientists to proceed with critical
conservation actions in the face of scientific uncertainty. When properly applied, the process
permits us to deliver management actions while simultaneously allowing us to learn from and
refine our understanding of the effectiveness of those actions.
Planning develops the population and habitat objectives for specific groups of birds.
Scientists and managers most familiar with each bird group, particularly its life history needs
and limiting factors, should initiate planning. Effective planning also requires consideration
of many non-biological factors, such as existing land use, public attitudes, and budget
constraints. Therefore, involvement of top management, the public, and decision-makers is
crucial.
Implementation delivers the specific conservation projects or other management
actions necessary to protect and conserve bird populations. Implementation is most
effectively carried out in an integrated fashion, combining the overlapping habitat and
management needs of each bird group as part of an overall landscape-level strategy.
Integration of bird conservation activities is one of the core principles of NABCI.
Implementation requires the participation of the widest possible range of public and private
partners. NABCI can benefit even more broadly from working with partners whose primary
agendas may not focus on birds, but who still share significant conservation objectives.
Evaluation measures how effectively conservation actions and strategies have
achieved overall conservation goals. Although it requires sound scientific information and is
critical to ensuring that conservation goals are being achieved, evaluation is not an end in
itself. Evaluation activities include analysis of changes in bird populations and assessments
of habitat quality and availability. They also encompass targeted studies where critical
information is lacking for determining future priorities, and assessments of specific
conservation programs. Effective evaluation should increase our understanding of the factors
limiting bird populations and how best to address them, thereby contributing to an iterative
process of revising the conservation strategies and goals developed during the planning
phase.
· Toward Landscape-Level Conservation
Managing the conservation of the more than 700 bird species that
occur in this country is not practical on a species-by-species basis.
Each species may use many different habitats during the year and
each habitat type often has unique management challenges.
However, at the scale of landscapes, the needs of many different bird species overlap to some
degree. Therefore, by combining management needs for species that use the same types of
habitat, the needs of a variety of birds can be addressed simultaneously—increasing the
efficiency and effectiveness of specific management actions and reducing costs.
18
By also applying this same approach to the needs of other wildlife species, agriculture, and
development, planners can define the nature of future landscapes. All of society’s interests,
including such needs as flood control, public health, and bird conservation, must coexist on
our landscapes. A central goal of NABCI is to help build the partnerships that will achieve
truly integrated conservation, and design and promote sustainable environments to help meet
the needs and desires of future generations.
· Forging Broad Partnerships for Bird Conservation
All conservation ultimately is local. The public and private
organizations in each part of the United States and other
countries are most knowledgeable about local conditions, needs,
and opportunities. They are also most empowered by successful
conservation activities in their areas. NABCI adheres to the
vision of regionally based partnerships that build on local knowledge
and enthusiasm to promote conservation activities for all groups of birds.
Joint ventures, formed to implement the North American Waterfowl Management Plan,
provide the most effective model that exists today for public-private conservation
partnerships. They have actively involved federal, state, and local governments and a wide
range of non-governmental conservation organizations in effective partnerships to generate
“on-the-ground” conservation. All joint ventures share the common characteristic of being
dynamic, self-directed partnerships that deliver science-based habitat conservation in a
distinct geographic area, consistent with national and international bird conservation plans.
The existing joint ventures that have already taken steps to embrace the goal of integrated
bird conservation provide the first examples of the application of the NABCI vision. In areas
without existing partnerships, additional joint ventures will be created to facilitate integrated
bird conservation.
THE BIRD CONSERVATION LANDSCAPE
Bird Conservation Regions
Effective integrated bird conservation requires the maintenance or restoration of landscapes
in which the quantity, quality, and diversity of suitable habitats meet the needs of all species.
Ecology-based landscape units enable efficient conservation because they encompass similar
bird communities, similar habitats, and similar land-use and resource issues. Conservation
partnerships rooted in this context are not new. At their inception, joint ventures were
delineated within ecologically based focus areas of special significance to waterfowl.
Effective conservation delivery requires linking population responses to habitat changes at
multiple spatial scales—from the local scale of individual habitat management projects, to
continental scales at which national and international program planning and evaluation occur.
Consequently, issues of scale have been prominent in NABCI efforts to develop a framework
of ecologically based Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) encompassing North America. It
19
was recognized that BCRs should accommodate varying spatial scales in biological planning
and evaluation, and should be flexible enough to allow for the use of multiple scale-specific
approaches to on-the-ground management. Furthermore, any ecological framework must
respect political boundaries while facilitating innovative bird conservation within states and
provinces and among broader partnerships.
NABCI has adopted a four-level hierarchical framework of nested ecological units as the
fundamental geographic basis from which to deliver integrated bird conservation in North
America. From the most general to the most specific levels, these eco-regions encompass
areas that are progressively more similar in their biotic (plant communities and wildlife) and
abiotic (soils, drainage patterns, temperature, and annual precipitation) characteristics. Eco-regions
at multiple scales may then be combined or partitioned in various combinations to
best reflect both the distribution and needs of birds, while preserving the integrity of the
ecologically based framework. This eco-region approach will facilitate coordination among
natural resource managers working at different spatial scales or in different geographic
regions because eco-region building blocks provide common ground.
The purpose of BCRs is to:
¨ systematically and scientifically apportion the United States and North America into
conservation units;
¨ facilitate a regional approach to bird conservation;
¨ facilitate communication among bird conservation initiatives; and
¨ promote new or expanded partnerships.
BCRs are proposed as a single application of the scale-flexible, hierarchical, ecological
framework adopted for integrated bird conservation; not as static or rigid regional units.
BCRs may be partitioned into smaller ecological units when finer-scale conservation
planning, implementation, and evaluation are necessary. Conversely, BCRs may be
aggregated to facilitate conservation partnerships throughout the annual range of a group of
species, much as the Flyway approach to partnering has been applied in waterfowl
management. Finally, BCRs will also facilitate international cooperation because these areas
of relatively homogeneous habitats and bird communities traverse national borders. The
fundamental principle is that effective, integrated bird conservation can best take place when
executed within an ecologically based, geographical context.
A map of North American BCRs and an accompanying descriptive booklet are provided in
the NABCI outreach document, North American Bird Conservation Initiative: Bringing it all
together. The map reflects our current understanding of species distribution, life history
requirements, and conservation challenges, while the booklet offers a brief description of
each region.
ADMINISTRATION
20
The responsibility for leadership in fulfilling the vision of NABCI in the United States rests
with the U.S. NABCI Committee. This Committee will initially be composed of 11
individuals, each representing an entity critical to the success of bird conservation:
¨ Director (or designee), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Co-Chair;
¨ President (or designee), International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Co-
Chair;
¨ representative of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan;
¨ representative of Partners in Flight;
¨ representative of the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan;
¨ representative of the North American Colonial Waterbird Conservation Plan;
¨ representative of Ducks Unlimited;
¨ representative of the Wildlife Management Institute;
¨ representative of the National Flyway Council;
¨ Chair of the Non-Governmental Organization Subcommittee; and
¨ Co-chair of the Federal Agency Subcommittee.
The U.S. NABCI Committee will initially have three permanent subcommittees: a Federal
Agency Subcommittee, a Non-Governmental Organization Subcommittee, and a Monitoring
Subcommittee. The roles, responsibilities, and operating procedures of the U.S. NABCI
Committee and its subcommittees are defined in its charter, but will primarily serve three
functions:
1. To represent the United States internationally within the North American Bird
Conservation Initiative, appointing three U.S. representatives to the Tri-national NABCI
Steering Committee;
2. To provide a forum for interaction among U.S. bird conservation initiatives, and facilitate
collaboration and communication among partnerships delivering integrated bird
conservation; and,
3. To endeavor to increase the resources available for the conservation of U.S. birds
wherever they may occur throughout their life cycles.
The Committee will be staffed by a National Coordinator. However, additional ad-hoc staff
support will most likely be necessary to address the full range of Committee functions and
tasks. The Committee will address the composition and structure of this staff support on an
as-needed basis.
Additional copies of this document may be obtained from:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Division of North American Waterfowl and Wetlands
4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 110
Arlington, VA 22203
(703) 358-1784
Illustrations by Bob Hines, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Printed on recycled paper

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The North American
Bird Conservation Initiative
in the United States:
A Vision of American Bird Conservation
U.S. NABCI Committee
September 2000
THE NORTH AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVATION INITIATIVE
IN THE UNITED STATES:
A Vision of American Bird Conservation
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Birds have always been a source of inspiration and fascination to people around the globe
and from all walks of life. In the United States, nature-based recreation—from backyard
feeders to regional festivals—is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry. In 1996,
approximately 160 million Americans, or 77% of the population, spent $29.2 billion to
observe, photograph, or feed wildlife—an increase of more than 39% since 1991. If wildlife
watching were a corporation, it would have ranked 23rd on the Fortune 500 list that year.
A high percentage of this recreation involves birds. Birding is growing faster than many
other outdoor recreational activities such as biking, pleasure walking, skiing, and golfing; it
increased 200% from 21 million participants in 1982-83 to an estimated 63 million in 1997.
Birders spend some $20 billion annually in seed, travel, and equipment. The number of major
birding festivals has grown from five in 1985 to 140 in 1999. At a National level, economic
activity directly associated with enjoyment of birds generated over 191,000 jobs and more
than $895 million in sales and income tax revenues in 1991. In addition, three million
migratory bird hunters generated $1.3 billion in retail sales, having a total economic
multiplier effect of $3.9 billion—considering the 46,000 additional jobs and $176 million in
sales and income tax revenues produced.
America’s bird population, however, is showing an alarming decline. Long-term radar
records reveal that numbers of migratory birds passing over the Louisiana Gulf Coast have
declined by half since the 1960s. Birds such as the cerulean warbler, king rail, loggerhead
shrike, and painted bunting have exhibited a striking decline of 60-75%. The ruffed grouse,
eastern meadowlark, northern bobwhite, and American bittern have lost 50-58% of their
populations, while even more well-known birds such as the robin, goldfinch, and whip-poor-will
have declined by about 20% in recent years. In greatest jeopardy are the 85 bird species
currently on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s threatened and endangered species list.
Many federal, state, and non-governmental wildlife agencies and organizations working in
the United States and abroad have noted the development of this alarming trend. To address
the needs of various bird groups, they have joined forces in several extensive partnerships.
Some of these individual initiatives include:
· North American Waterfowl Management Plan
· Partners in Flight
· U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan
· North American Colonial Waterbird Conservation Plan
ii
While these efforts have generated some successes, it has been increasingly recognized that
the overlapping conservation interests of these initiatives could be better served through more
integrated planning and delivery of bird conservation. The North American Bird
Conservation Initiative in the United States (NABCI-US) arose out of this realization.
The vision of NABCI-US is simply to see:
Populations and habitats of North America’s birds protected, restored, and
enhanced through coordinated efforts at international, national, regional, state,
and local levels, guided by sound science and effective management.
The NABCI-US seeks to accomplish this vision by (1) broadening bird conservation
partnerships; (2) working to increase the financial resources available for conserving birds in
the United States and wherever else they may occur throughout their life cycle; and (3)
enhancing the effectiveness of those resources and partnerships by facilitating integrated bird
conservation.
The NABCI-US will be guided by a set of principles that establish an operational framework
within which this initiative and its partners may conduct integrated bird conservation in the
United States and in other countries where these birds spend portions of their life cycles.
These principles will articulate a common understanding of the relationship between
NABCI-US, individual bird conservation initiatives, and partners. Such understanding will
insure recognition of federal legislative and international treaty obligations and state
authorities, and foster respect for the identity and autonomy of each initiative. A brief history
and status of the major North American bird conservation initiatives is included. The
fundamental components of the conservation approach to be used by NABCI-US are
expressed within its goal:
To deliver the full spectrum of bird conservation through regionally based,
biologically driven, landscape-oriented partnerships.
In striving to accomplish this goal, NABCI-US partners are working together “to take bird
conservation to the next level.”
Birds have a unique relationship with humans because they share our lives in ways that other
groups of wildlife species do not. Because of their unique status in human societies, the
protection and restoration of bird populations and habitats demands and deserves special
emphasis among our conservation efforts. Fortunately, these efforts will directly benefit the
environment and habitats shared by virtually all other species—including ours.
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i
TABLE OF CONTENTS iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv
INTRODUCTION 1
PURPOSE, VISION, AND GOAL 1
Purpose 1
Vision 2
Goal 2
ECONOMIC VALUE OF BIRDS 3
URGENCY AND NEED 4
OPPORTUNITY 5
PRINCIPLES 6
HISTORY AND STATUS OF BIRD CONSERVATION
INITIATIVES IN THE UNITED STATES 10
Background 10
Flyway Council System 11
North American Waterfowl Management Plan 12
Partners in Flight 13
United States Shorebird Conservation Plan 14
North American Colonial Waterbird Conservation Plan 15
North American Bird Conservation Initiative 15
CONSERVATION APPROACH 16
Establishing and Refining a Science Foundation 16
Toward Landscape-Level Conservation 17
Forging Broad Partnerships for Bird Conservation 18
THE BIRD CONSERVATION LANDSCAPE 18
ADMINISTRATION 20
iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The U.S. NABCI Committee gratefully acknowledges the efforts of the Interim U.S. NABCI
Steering Committee in drafting this document. Committee members devoted considerable
energies to accomplishing the task of developing this vision, working through many edifying
discussions, debates, and email exchanges to reach a consensus draft vision. The members of
that Committee were:
Scott C. Yaich, Chair
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
Jon Andrew
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Bird Management
Ken Babcock
Ducks Unlimited
Vernon Bevill
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Stephen Brown
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences
James Kushlan
U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Research Division
Tony Melchiors
Weyerhaeuser Company
Gary Myers
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
David Pashley
American Bird Conservancy
David Smith
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of North American Waterfowl and Wetlands
Melanie Steinkamp
U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Research Division
In turn the Interim Committee members are grateful for having been provided the
opportunity to contribute to this effort. We acknowledge the efforts of the many individuals
who provided comments and suggestions that contributed to the constructive revision of this
document. Their efforts helped forge a vision that we hope will help provide focus to the
direction of bird conservation in the United States and beyond during these early years of the
21st century.
THE NORTH AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVATION INITIATIVE
IN THE UNITED STATES:
A Vision of American Bird Conservation
INTRODUCTION
Birds. Their capacity for flight has always captured our imagination and been the envy of
earth-bound humans. It also accounts for their widespread distribution; a characteristic
shared by humans that further strengthens our truly unique relationship with birds. Why
do we thrill to the sight of the first robin of the spring, a pair of wild turkeys, or a
solitary bald eagle gliding across a lake? How many of us have paused
while raking leaves in the fall to reflect on the wonders of migration as
we watched and listened to a flock of geese overhead traveling south?
How many times have we camped in the woods with our families, perhaps
beside a lake, and listened thoughtfully as whip-poor-wills or owls called in
the darkness? How many sunbathers have peacefully watched pelicans skim the
surf, or smiled at shorebirds racing up and down the beach at the edge of the waves?
How many of us have been struck by the fragility of life and felt sadness in finding the
lifeless form of a small bird which failed to comprehend “window”?
We as individuals and as a society have a unique relationship with birds, which touch us in
ways that other wildlife species do not. Because of their special status in our society and their
unique behaviors and habits, there is a growing sense of urgency among us to ensure their
conservation. Fortunately, this status provides an opportunity for bird conservation to serve
as an “umbrella” for the conservation of other wildlife species, biological diversity, and
natural resources. Thus, the vision of protecting and restoring the populations and habitats
of North America’s birds demands and deserves special emphasis among conservation
efforts—and the time is now.
PURPOSE, VISION, AND GOAL
· Purpose
In 1962, four years before the initiation of the Breeding Bird Survey, Rachel Carson elevated
the issue of declining bird populations within the national consciousness through her book
Silent Spring. She was among the first to sound the alarm on behalf of bird conservation in a
way that resonated with the public. Carson dedicated her book to Dr. Albert Schweitzer,
citing his quote:
“Man has lost the capacity to foresee and to forestall.
He will end by destroying the earth.”
2
Fortunately, attitudes toward conservation have progressed since 1962 and we now have
more reason for cautious optimism. We have begun to foresee solutions to the problems
confronting bird conservation, although the broad-based commitment necessary to reverse
the declines has yet to be fully made. We have even begun to forestall some of the problems,
but on a limited basis and for a minority of bird species.
Bird conservation stands at the edge of a major advancement. This document portrays a
vision for the future of bird conservation in the United States, and lays out a fundamental
process that can “take bird conservation to the next level” across North America and beyond.
In so doing, its primary purposes are to help:
(1) initiate and broaden bird conservation partnerships;
(2) increase financial resources available for conserving birds in the United States
and wherever else they may occur during their life cycles; and,
(3) enhance the effectiveness of those resources and partnerships by facilitating
integrated bird conservation.
· Vision
The vision of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative in the United States (NABCI-US),
for the enjoyment of current and future generations, is to see:
Populations and habitats of North America’s birds protected, restored, or enhanced
through coordinated efforts at international, national, regional, state, and local
levels, guided by sound science and effective management.
The focus of this document is a bird conservation vision for the United States. However,
most bird species in the United States are migratory and many have a continental, even
hemispheric, geographic distribution. For U.S. efforts to be successful, they must also
address the needs of these birds while outside the United States. Thus, U.S. efforts must
include a strong international component. Integrated delivery of the U.S. initiative with and
through the broader North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI), along with
actions beyond our continental borders, are necessary for the successful realization of this
vision.
· Goal
The goal of the NABCI-US is:
To deliver the full spectrum of bird conservation through regionally based,
biologically driven, landscape-oriented partnerships.
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ECONOMIC VALUE OF BIRDS
Birds not only inspire our poets and our spirits, but also provide the basis for a significant
and rapidly growing economy. Our level of participation in bird-related recreation is a strong
indicator of their value to society. Nature-based recreation is the fastest growing segment of
the tourism industry, increasing approximately 30% annually since 1987. Seventy-seven
percent of U.S. citizens, or 160 million, spent $29.2 billion in 1996 to observe, photograph,
or feed wildlife—39% more dollars than 1991. If wildlife watching were a corporation, it
would have ranked 23rd on the Fortune 500 list that year.
A high proportion of nature-based tourism includes birds. Birding is growing
faster than many other outdoor recreational activities such as biking,
pleasure walking, skiing, and golfing. It increased 200% from 21 million
participants in 1982-83 to an estimated 63 million in 1997. Collectively,
birders spend approximately $20 billion per year on backyard bird-feeding,
travel, and paraphernalia. An active group, 24.7 million birders
took trips away from home in 1991 to participate in birding activities,
spending $5.2 billion on goods and services.
The number of significant birding festivals across the Nation soared from five in 1985 to 140
in 1999. The Texas Rio Grande Birding Festival generated $266,000 for the local economy in
1994; this exploded to $1.6 million only two years later. In fact, revenue from birding-related
tourism in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas now exceeds that from the area’s citrus
industry. Similarly, the Delaware Bay shore and Cape May peninsula of New Jersey receive
more than $40 million annually from birders alone. At a National level, economic activity
directly associated with the non-consumptive enjoyment of birds generated 191,000 jobs and
more than $895 million in sales and income tax revenues in 1991. In addition, three million
migratory bird hunters generated $1.3 billion in retail sales, having a total economic
multiplier effect of $3.9 billion—considering the 46,000 additional jobs and $176 million in
sales and income tax revenues produced.
These examples illustrate the actual and potential economic benefits of birds and their
conservation. However, there are also important economic costs of failing to conserve birds.
There are approximately 85 bird species on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s threatened
and endangered species list. If bird populations decline to the level of being threatened or
endangered, costs for their conservation escalate dramatically. For example, in 1995, $18.5
million was spent on the conservation and recovery of the northern spotted owl, while $15.7
million was spent on the marbled murrelet, $8.3 million on the red-cockaded woodpecker,
and $6.4 million on the bald eagle.
Birds are integral parts of our landscapes, performing important, sometimes irreplaceable
functions carrying tremendous costs to society should they be lost or diminished. Birds
pollinate plants, disperse seeds, are critical links in the food web, and play significant roles in
insect pest control. Insects and pathogens cause greater forest losses than any other agent,
including fire. One study documented that insect-eating forest birds reduced the number of
insects on white oak saplings by half, enhancing tree growth and resulting in approximately
17% greater biomass production. With a projected loss of 28 million acres of forest land and
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an estimated 40% increase in wood consumption by 2040, the Nation can ill-afford additional
losses in productivity due to declining populations of insect-eating forest birds in our
remaining forest lands.
URGENCY AND NEED
Over 700 bird species occur in the United States. Populations of many once-common birds
are gradually shifting toward scarcity while other species, such as the double-crested
cormorant, lesser snow goose, and giant Canada goose, have adapted perhaps too well to our
altered environment. Addressing both scarcity and overabundance is a significant challenge
for bird conservation today.
One expression of the current vision of bird conservation is “to keep common birds
common.” Perhaps the most startling concern involves well-known species that are slipping
gradually out of the ranks of the common and into those of the rare. Cerulean warblers have
declined an average of 4.2% per year, or an alarming 75% overall since 1966. Similarly
striking declines of 60-70% have been documented for the olive-sided flycatcher, king rail,
loggerhead shrike, painted bunting, and black tern; and 50-58% declines for the ruffed
grouse, eastern meadowlark, northern bobwhite, and American bittern. Even some of the
most common birds are becoming less so. For example, how many people realize that
American goldfinch and whip-poor-will populations have declined by approximately 20%
since 1966?
Unfortunately, these examples are not unique or isolated. Long-term radar records show that
in the late 1980’s only half as many waves of migratory birds passed over the Louisiana Gulf
Coast than in the 1960’s. Among those species highly associated with grasslands, population
indices for only two have increased since 1966, whereas 23 have decreased. Over the last
quarter century, 18 of the 24 species of shorebirds for which data are available have also
shown notable declines.
Birds that migrate to the Neotropics in the winter comprise up to 80% of the species nesting
in eastern deciduous forests. Eighty percent of these are the insectivores so important to
forest health and productivity. From 1978 to 1987, 45% of these species declined
significantly. Over the last 30 years, 8 of the 19 forest-breeding species in the Blue Ridge
Mountains and 13 of the 44 in the Adirondacks have also declined. Of the 417 species
monitored by the Breeding Bird Survey since 1966, approximately 50% exhibit long-term
declining trends.
The urgency to address bird conservation can be highlighted using the example of the piping
plover, listed as endangered in 1985. If the current decline of 7% per year continues, the
piping plover will be extinct in about 80 years. The Great Plains population objective is
2,550 pairs. If management actions could reverse the declining population trend and foster an
annual 1% increase beginning today, the species would reach its target population for
de-listing in 53 years. However, a delay of only 1 year in reversing that declining population
trend delays reaching the recovery level by 13 years; and a delay of 5 years postpones
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attainment of the objective by 63 years. Thus, the biological realities of the dramatic, long-term
declines of many bird populations, coupled with the societal and economic incentives
for their conservation, illustrate the urgency facing bird conservation.
One of the best-known bird-based metaphors is “a canary in a coal mine.” It was once a
common practice for miners to take canaries into mines with them to serve as “living
alarms” for environmental danger. Being more sensitive than humans to poisonous gases in
the mines, dying canaries warned miners to get out before they too were overcome. In the
simple ecosystem of a coal mine composed only of rock, air, miners, and canaries, an
environmental challenge such as poisonous gas can rapidly and noticeably upset the entire
ecosystem. Today, many believe that birds in our natural ecosystems are serving as present-day
canaries in the coal mine. Although the complexities and subtleties of natural ecosystems
generally preclude anything as sudden and dramatic as a dead canary in a cage, declines in
many of our bird populations may be warning us of environmental challenges that also bear
danger for our society and quality of life if not addressed.
OPPORTUNITY
Tremendous potential exists to improve bird conservation, including all aspects of protection,
restoration, and enhancement in the United States and abroad. Currently there is a growing
level of public interest in and support for birds. We are also experiencing an unprecedented
period of economic prosperity. There are many strong existing partnerships to build upon, as
well as new ones being formed, for planning and implementing bird conservation.
Fortunately, we have excellent models from which to learn.
Restoration of the bald eagle and peregrine falcon involved highly successful bird
conservation efforts using the single-species approach. Cooperative management actions
between Federal and state agencies and private conservation organizations resulted in the
removal of both species from the Federal list of endangered species.
Applying a more integrated ecosystem approach, the North American Waterfowl
Management Plan (NAWMP) is pre-eminent among successful bird conservation models.
Since 1986, its implementation has helped increase many waterfowl populations. Most
importantly, it institutionalized partnerships as the best avenue to successful wildlife resource
conservation. State and federal agencies had long been partners in managing waterfowl
populations, but the NAWMP provided clear goals and structure to these partnerships to
conserve wetland habitats. It explicitly brought the private sector into these partnerships as
well—most prominently Ducks Unlimited (DU).
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Serving as a catalyst, DU worked with government agencies to successfully establish public
policy, and it solicited the voluntary, but very active involvement of private landowners and
other private entities across the continent. The focus of NAWMP partnerships on the
protection, restoration, and enhancement of wetlands and waterfowl habitats has
demonstrated that a landscape approach to bird conservation can be successful. These efforts
have also clearly shown that a habitat focus provides benefits to many species beyond those
targeted, and that an ecosystem or landscape approach attracts a broader array of partners.
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act has likewise been a critical catalyst for
ensuring the viability of these conservation approaches and successfully putting them to work
across the national landscape.
The greatest opportunities we have are the expanding partnerships designed to conduct fully
integrated bird conservation. State and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations
have been working together over the last decade to plan and implement the future of bird
conservation with an eye toward integrating their efforts. Grassroots support for addressing
the needs of all wildlife is growing, as evidenced by the public support that Partners in Flight
and other bird initiatives are experiencing, and by the breadth of the Teaming With Wildlife
coalition. This support will continue to increase dramatically.
It is apparent from examples such as the bald eagle and waterfowl that, once brought to the
Nation’s attention, support for bird conservation is broad and deep. The message is clear:
birds are important to the people of the United States and their populations should not be
allowed to decline further; but rather should be restored and maintained. The stage is set to
move beyond conservation targeted on a few high-profile species or even a group of species
and their habitats. Clearly, we are on the threshold of a new era of comprehensive, integrated
bird conservation—and we must seize this opportunity.
PRINCIPLES
The NABCI-US will be guided by principles that establish an operational framework and
sideboards within which this initiative and its partners will conduct integrated bird
conservation in the United States and beyond. These principles address the fundamental
components of the NABCI-US goal to deliver the full spectrum of bird conservation
through regionally based, biologically driven, landscape-oriented partnerships.
“Deliver the full spectrum of bird conservation…”
¨ There are federal legislative and treaty obligations, as well as state mandates, for the
conservation and management of birds.
¨ The NABCI-US will respect the identity and autonomy of all individual bird
initiatives (e.g., North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Partners in Flight,
U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, North American Colonial Waterbird
Conservation Plan).
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¨ Financial resources necessary for comprehensive bird conservation in the United
States can be marshaled more effectively by a broad, robust coalition of bird
interests than by the individual efforts of separate initiatives.
¨ Financial resources marshaled for bird conservation can be used more effectively
when management needs and actions (1) address the needs of birds at the most
crucial points in their life cycles and, (2) are integrated across landscapes providing
the greatest benefit for the broadest array of species.
Migratory bird treaties with Canada and Mexico have served as long-standing, enduring
international conservation agreements. The treaties and their implementing acts grant
ultimate responsibility for safeguarding and managing migratory birds in the United States to
the Federal government. However, state wildlife conservation agencies have long been
partners in this effort, exercising a shared responsibility for the management of these species.
Conversely, authority for resident bird species remains with the states, although the Federal
government in various ways has been a partner in their conservation. In addition, both
migratory and resident bird species and their habitats are the focus of numerous private
organizations representing millions of members. Also, private landowners, through
individual action and voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs, have contributed
significantly to bird conservation.
Not long ago, “migratory bird conservation” was synonymous with waterfowl and migratory
game bird management. Due to the phenomenal growth of outdoor recreation involving non-game
birds and the documentation of long-term declines of many of these species, interest
among the public, scientists, and managers has increased dramatically. The concern
generated by this interest is reflected in the growing number of individual initiatives and
organizations with a central bird conservation mission. Understanding that federal and state
wildlife agencies are mandated to conserve all birds, bird conservation demands that
attention be placed on the full array of species throughout the future.
“ …through regionally based, … “
¨ The NABCI-US will promote comprehensive bird conservation based on similarities
within geographic regions regarding habitat types, ecosystem components,
management issues, and successful conservation approaches.
¨ A common ecological framework is essential to efficient planning, implementation,
and evaluation processes for delivering the full spectrum of bird conservation.
¨ The organization of regional partnerships to deliver bird conservation will be based
on a sound ecological framework and practical administrative and economic
considerations defined by partners.
Regionally based partnerships are essential for the effective delivery of integrated bird
conservation. Various groups of birds often share habitats and conservation challenges.
8
Similarities in land-use patterns and natural ecosystems exist within identifiable geographic
regions of the United States, providing a logical framework for bird conservation. In
addition, the people, communities, and organizations within regions can work together more
readily in partnerships because of common concerns and opportunities. These similarities
provide tremendous opportunities to organize partnerships to deliver management within
geographically identified bird conservation regions.
“ … biologically driven, … “
¨ The NABCI-US will be based on the best available scientific information.
¨ An adaptive approach to bird conservation is necessary to build our knowledge in
concert with our management actions.
¨ Effective conservation of bird populations and habitats depe nds on an
understanding of the responses of populations to habitat alterations and
management actions, and is driven by linkages between population and habitat
objectives.
Waterfowl have been the focus of research for more than 50 years, yet significant
deficiencies in knowledge still exist. Major information gaps likewise prevail regarding the
population biology and management of many other bird species. Monitoring bird populations
is a necessary first step in focusing conservation efforts. In addition, scientific information
relating habitat alteration and management actions to changes in bird populations is essential
for measuring effectiveness and refining management actions. The NABCI-US must be
science-based to most effectively use the financial resources dedicated to bird conservation.
“ … landscape-oriented … “
¨ Bird populations respond to landscape-level conditions, as well as changes in those
conditions, throughout their population ranges.
¨ Bird conservation objectives should be incorporated into existing natural resource
practices and programs as much as possible.
¨ The NABCI-US will promote sustainable land-use and management practices most
compatible with bird conservation.
¨ Bird conservation can help provide for the conservation of other wildlife groups and
natural resources from a broader perspective.
Birds exist within landscapes that serve a variety of purposes. Incorporating “greenspace”
into urban and suburban development now will certainly play a role in the future of bird
conservation. Agricultural practices and Federal farm policies have important, direct effects
9
on bird conservation efforts because many landscapes are predominantly agricultural.
Management of private and public forests, grasslands, and wetlands affects landscapes at
regional scales. Clearly, the broad habitat implications of responsible bird conservation both
within and outside the United States can directly benefit many other groups of wildlife
sharing the same landscapes. Furthermore, a landscape approach allows bird conservation to
be successfully integrated into sustainable land-use patterns, helping to meet the current and
future needs of society.
“ … partnerships. “
¨ Effective bird conservation depends on the cooperation of independent agencies and
organizations at international, national, regional, state, and local geographic scales.
¨ The NABCI-US will build and strengthen the diverse linkages among public
agencies, private organizations, landowners, and individuals at all geographic levels
of conservation delivery.
¨ Bird conservation efforts will include a broad array of options, emphasizing policies
that promote voluntary stewardship approaches and strategies that are highly
leveraged to maximize the use of scarce resources.
¨ Bird conservation partners will identify and resolve potential conflicts among
priority bird conservation needs within a geographic area.
¨ Through training and education-based partnerships, the NABCI-US will broaden
public awareness about the importance and relevance of bird conservation to
society.
The single most important component of bird conservation is partnerships. In any
cooperative venture, each partner—federal, state, tribal, non-governmental, or individual—
must come to the table voluntarily and be willing to share its resources to achieve common
goals. Successful partnerships contain partners that understand and respect each other’s
independent missions. They also find common ground and follow management actions that
result in the most efficient use of resources. Because of legislative mandates, the Federal
government must take the lead in providing the basic resources required for integrated bird
conservation across state and national boundaries; but it must also seek a broad partnership
among the states, non-governmental organizations, and private citizens. Successful
conservation partnership models like the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and
the North American Wetlands Conservation Act show the way, providing a working
foundation upon which to build broader, deeper partnerships on behalf of bird conservation
in the United States and beyond.
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HISTORY AND STATUS OF BIRD CONSERVATION INITIATIVES
In the United States
Background
The surge of interest in birds has resulted in several unprecedented bird conservation
initiatives such as the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Partners in Flight, the
U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, and the North American Colonial Waterbird Conservation
Plan. The North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) as a whole is facilitating
linkages among these individual initiatives, both within and among the United States,
Mexico, and Canada. Since no two countries are alike, each one decides for itself how best to
advance the common principles of NABCI within its borders. The following overview of the
evolution of bird conservation in the United States provides an important context for
understanding the trajectory of bird conservation efforts today.
Bird conservation in the United States is rooted in history, public attitudes, and landscape
protection. Designation of the first National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in 1903—an 8-acre
island off the coast of Florida—marked an important point in the history of bird
conservation. Pelican Island NWR was established to protect pelicans and other colonial
nesting birds from the excessive millinery trade. By this time, it had become clear that
unregulated market hunting, or the harvest of wildlife for profit, was a significant threat to
birds. State and Federal agencies responded with laws regulating hunting and initiated
biological studies to learn more about bird population dynamics. Internationally, the 1916
and 1936 Migratory Bird Conventions with Canada and Mexico, respectively, and the 1918
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) regulated the take of migratory birds in North America.
They also made migratory bird protection a responsibility of the federal governments. A
strong tradition of international cooperation in waterfowl population surveys and harvest
management followed.
As human use of the continent intensified, so did the loss of and adverse impacts on bird
habitats. In response, federal and state governments accelerated acquisition and management
of the most critical habitats. Waterfowl were a major focus, particularly for the NWR system.
State land acquisition often revolved around game species because its primary source of
funding came from hunters and anglers. Later, endangered species and other migratory birds
gained more prominence in the setting of conservation priorities on public lands. More recent
habitat-focused international agreements, such as the 1971 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
of International Importance, have provided a framework for national action and international
cooperation for the conservation of wetlands and their resources.
Throughout the 20th century, the role of citizens and non-governmental organizations has
been pivotal in moving the Nation’s bird conservation agenda forward. The three major bird-focused
crises of the last 100 years include the “plume crisis” of the first decade, the Dust
Bowl Era of the 1920’s and 30’s, and the post-WWII pesticide crisis. Citizens assertively
responded to these events by pushing governmental action and legislative resolutions such as
the MBTA, Lacey Act, Federal Duck Stamp Program, NWR system expansion, Pittman-
Robertson Act, and Endangered Species Act. They banded together to form organizations
such as the National Audubon Society, Ducks Unlimited, National Wildlife Federation, and
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many others that worked to actively promote these bird conservation measures—and still
aggressively do so today. The positive actions of the past were a direct result of the
grassroots actions of citizens and non-governmental organizations.
Now at the start of the 21st century, with populations of many birds still declining, even more
concerted actions and innovative solutions are needed to achieve our bird conservation goals.
The major individual bird conservation initiatives in the United States, and the
comprehensive, international focus of NABCI, arose out of a recognition that effective bird
conservation requires:
�� a strong scientific understanding of birds, their habitats, and population phenomena;
· conservation and management at local, landscape, continental, and hemispheric scales;
and
· the involvement of all elements of human society that affect and are affected by changes
in bird populations.
Flyway Council System
The flyway council system pioneered the first formalized, interagency, cooperative
partnership on behalf of migratory bird management in North America. This system enabled
states, the Federal government, and several non-governmental organizations to develop the
processes and working relationships needed for co-managing the migratory bird resource. In
so doing, this system laid the critical foundation for the creation of future migratory bird
initiatives such as the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.
In 1947, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated four “flyways” as bio-administrative
units within which to manage waterfowl populations. States quickly recognized
the flyway system as an opportunity for cooperative management of
waterfowl and as a forum for promoting states’ interests in the
regulatory process. Resolution Number 10 was passed in 1951 by
the International Association of Game, Fish, and Conservation
Commissioners (now the International Association of Fish and
Wildlife Agencies [IAFWA]), and in 1952, councils were formed
for the Pacific, Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic Flyways. A
primary purpose of the council system was to establish hunting
regulations based on waterfowl biology and distribution, as well
as to acknowledge different hunting interests and conditions across the country. The National
Waterfowl Council, composed of a representative from each flyway council, was formed in
1953 to further each council’s objectives.
Today, the councils serve as the primary administrative vehicles for provinces, states, and
federal agencies to cooperatively manage waterfowl populations. Although the original role
of the councils focused heavily on hunting regulations, they soon began to address broader
waterfowl-related issues. Now, the councils work to better understand and improve
conditions for waterfowl productivity, distribution, harvest, and habitat management.
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Technical advisory committees have been established within each flyway to better address
issues such as these.
In 1995, the IAFWA conducted a Flyway System Review and recommended that the
management of all migratory birds be coordinated through the flyway councils. For example,
councils may consider establishing new technical committees, in addition to waterfowl and
webless game bird committees, to address issues associated with other bird populations in the
flyways. Currently, coot, gallinule, rail, and snipe seasons are set in reference to flyways.
Also, mourning dove and woodcock management units have been modeled after the flyway
concept.
The North American Waterfowl Management Plan
Migratory bird conservation entered a new phase when the United States and Canada signed
the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (Plan) in 1986, followed by Mexico in
1994. This international agreement challenged conservationists in North
America to restore waterfowl populations to levels recorded in the 1970’s.
Most importantly, it directed that this be accomplished by creating
sustainable landscapes for waterfowl using unprecedented
partnerships among the federal, state, and private sectors. Many
factors contributed to the success of the Plan, but a focused and
organized constituency was particularly key. This constituency
facilitated the passage of the 1989 North American Wetlands
Conservation Act—the primary funding tool for habitat conservation
under the Plan.
Over the last decade, Plan partners have created a highly successful model for effective
conservation: regional partnerships called “joint ventures” that deliver biologically based
habitat conservation on landscapes important to waterfowl. Each of the 11 U.S. habitat joint
ventures is guided by an implementation plan laying out measurable population targets and
corresponding habitat objectives. Population targets are linked to continental population
goals expressed in the Plan.
More than 4.9 million acres of wetlands and associated upland habitats have been conserved
in the United States under the Plan, at an investment of over $1.5 billion. These efforts, and
those of other wildlife and agricultural conservation policies and programs, have contributed
significantly to the rebound of most waterfowl species. However, the work of waterfowl
conservation is not done. Increased demands on natural resources from a growing human
population and the cyclic return to below-average water conditions in breeding areas will
depress waterfowl populations again in the future. Furthermore, the monitoring of several
species, including sea ducks, is still not sufficient to adequately assess their status, but they
are suspected to be declining.
Plan partners are faced with the challenge of carrying waterfowl conservation’s tremendous
momentum into the next century. Their conservation efforts must be woven into the rapidly
changing and more complex social, economic, and environmental fabric of the 21st century.
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Trends point to increased urbanization, a declining proportion of hunters, increasing numbers
of birdwatchers, increasing demands for grain, and global climate change. Plan partners are
working to respond to the management implications of these trends and also strengthen the
biological foundation of waterfowl conservation.
Partners In Flight
Partners In Flight (PIF) is a consortium of public and private organizations and individuals
working to conserve landbirds throughout the Western Hemisphere. Its guiding principles are
to restore populations of the most imperiled species and to prevent other birds from
becoming endangered—“keeping common birds common.” Because landbirds are
spread diffusely across every habitat type on the continent, PIF may face the
most complex challenges among the bird initiatives. Populations of
landbirds that can adapt to the dominating presence of humans are
thriving, while many less adaptable species are declining. Identifying
precise causes of decline is difficult, particularly for migratory species
that depend on several habitat types during an annual cycle. Problems
facing landbirds often stem from land use driven by societal needs for food,
fiber, and living space. Thus, landbird conservation requires a commitment to research and
monitoring, and an even more fundamental commitment to developing alliances with people
who own, manage, and make decisions about land. Strengthening the link between science
and bird conservation lies at the core of the PIF philosophy.
Partners anticipate completing the Regional Bird Conservation Plans for landbirds in the
continental United States by the end of 2000. These plans are based upon species
prioritization, resulting in a list of landbirds requiring conservation attention in each region,
grouped according to shared habitats. Conditions of priority habitats are then assessed and
management recommendations are directed thereafter at habitats, not at individual bird
species. The plans strive to present scientifically credible, yet realistic population and habitat
objectives, considering current ecological conditions and social and economic realities. With
these regional plans, PIF is contributing significantly to more strategic, comprehensive, and
effective bird conservation.
Over the past decade, PIF’s network of thousands of partners has been involved in a diversity
of proactive conservation activities including research and monitoring, habitat management
and restoration, technical assistance to federal agencies and other landowners, policy
development and advocacy, and outreach and education. Partners have worked at all
geographic levels and throughout the Western Hemisphere. However, to be most effective,
its activities need to be part of a larger, integrated strategy for delivering bird conservation at
all spatial scales.
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United States Shorebird Conservation Plan
Shorebirds are among the most amazing migratory birds, generally traveling the longest
distances and being on the move the greatest amount of time each year. They seem to “follow
the sun,” tracking bursts of food resources as they become available, pausing briefly to breed
at the northern end of their route before heading south again. Many species concentrate at a
series of critical stop-over sites stretching from the Arctic Ocean to the tip of South America.
Their natural history is so distinctive that novel conservation actions are needed.
Most shorebirds depend on wetlands for all or much of their life cycles. Habitat loss and
various types of degradation, such as human disturbance, pollution, food depletion, and
increasing threats from predators, are the main pressures affecting
shorebird population declines. Without remedial conservation efforts,
these pressures can be expected to increase in the future. Focused
conservation actions and integrated management practices are needed to
prevent additional shorebird species from becoming threatened or endangered.
The Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network was founded in 1986 to
identify and encourage protection of the most important stop-over and
wintering sites in North and South America. This and other conservation
efforts in the United States and abroad (e.g., the East Asian Australasian Shorebird Reserve
Network) have been very successful at protecting some of the most critical sites and at
raising awareness of the special requirements of shorebirds. However, these efforts have been
insufficient to secure stable or increasing populations of many species. Ongoing conservation
challenges have highlighted the need for comprehensive planning to address critical aspects
of shorebird life history.
The U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan (USSCP) was initiated in 1996 to address this need.
The USSCP is a partnership effort designed to ensure that populations of all shorebird
species are protected or restored to a healthy condition. This shorebird plan, completed in
April 2000, lays out conservation goals for 11 shorebird management regions of the United
States and identifies critical habitat conservation and key research needs. It also proposes
education and outreach programs to increase awareness about shorebirds and their unique
needs.
Fortunately, many shorebird conservation needs are compatible with those of waterfowl. The
natural synergy developing between the USSCP and the North American Waterfowl
Management Plan is beneficial for both groups of species. Because many shorebirds use
upland habitats for nesting or foraging, USSCP objectives are also being aligned with those
being developed by Partners in Flight—further contributing to the integration of bird
conservation needs.
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North American Colonial Waterbird Conservation Plan
This newest bird conservation initiative addresses the needs of colonial waterbirds, which
includes a broad array of bird species such as herons and egrets, gulls and terns, and many
seabirds. As with waterfowl and shorebirds, protection or restoration of aquatic and wetland
habitat is needed for many waterbird species. Still others forage along shorelines and in the
open ocean, where problems such as pollution and conflicts with recreation
and fisheries must be addressed. Some species such as the double-crested
cormorant are overabundant, posing unique challenges to population
management. The conservation needs of colonial waterbirds must be
addressed on a large geographic scale due to their wide distribution,
with some breeding in the United States and Canada and wintering as far south
as Mexico or the Caribbean. Maintaining North American populations at
appropriate levels, therefore, depends on planning, inventory, monitoring, and
management actions on an international and continental scale.
The weak link in the life cycle of all of these birds is their propensity to nest in colonies. Loss
of a colony can mean loss of a local population or, in a few cases, extinction of a species.
While colonies are sensitive to a wide range of human disturbances, they are particularly
susceptible to new or imbalanced predator populations (e.g., rats and cats on nesting islands,
and burgeoning gull populations along coastlines).
The North American Colonial Waterbird Conservation Plan (NACWCP) began in 1998 and
followed the lead of other successful plans by relying on voluntary partnerships, strong
science, and the development of explicit objectives. Components of this plan focus on
research and information needs, monitoring, management, and education and outreach. The
NACWCP will also coordinate with other bird conservation initiatives to identify regional
conservation goals and key habitats, delineate critical research needs, and develop public
outreach materials and training programs. The plan’s international strategy will be completed
by December 2000, and its accompanying regional plans will be available in 2001.
North American Bird Conservation Initiative
The individual bird conservation initiatives have come to recognize their common bond of
shared migratory bird habitats. The leaders of each initiative understand that there is not only
common ground in the biological landscape, but also significant overlap in institutional
frameworks on which the foundation for delivering comprehensive, coordinated migratory
bird conservation can be based. However, prior to 1998, no effective mechanism for
coordination existed. And although the major current initiatives deal with most birds, some
groups such as rails and other non-colonial waterbirds are not included. Geographically, the
North American Waterfowl Management Plan covers the United States, Canada, and Mexico,
and the North American Colonial Waterbird Plan addresses all of North and Central America
and the Caribbean. Partners in Flight’s Bird Conservation Plans and the U.S. Shorebird
Conservation Plan include only the United States.
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In 1998, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation stimulated increased international
cooperation. Participants from Canada, the United States, and Mexico brought into existence
the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI). NABCI does not limit the
autonomy or independence of any of its participants, but rather seeks to increase the
effectiveness of the separate initiatives by integrating conservation objectives and project
implementation. NABCI is also working to increase the resources available for bird
conservation. In short, NABCI is a tool to help “take bird conservation to the next level.”
Any success in achieving that goal will be a reflection of the level of desire and commitment
of the individual bird conservation initiatives and their partners to work together to deliver
the full spectrum of bird conservation through regionally based, biologically driven,
landscape-oriented partnerships.
CONSERVATION APPROACH
The success of NABCI will ultimately depend upon acceptance and use of a conservation
approach that is grounded in sound science and landscape-level, partner-driven delivery.
Fortunately, this approach is increasingly being adopted by the individual initiatives.
· Establishing and Refining a Science Foundation
The role of science in bird conservation
Successful conservation must be based on sound science, a precept reflected
in the phrase "biologically-driven". To achieve the goal of integrated bird
conservation, there must be a solid underlying foundation of scientific
knowledge about birds and the threats they face. This scientific foundation
allows goals to be applied to specific conservation projects that manage birds
and their habitats. Science provides the information needed to effectively
identify and address critical conservation needs. Effective conservation requires an
understanding of the threats birds face, and the critical life history stages and
geographic locations at which populations are limited. Unfortunately, this understanding
is insufficient or altogether lacking for most birds.
Fundamental scientific information must be developed to guide the refinement of bird
conservation priorities, support the design and development of critical conservation projects,
and help measure the effectiveness of our actions in meeting our goals. There must be a
commitment to this scientific process, even as we must also continue making management
decisions without complete information.
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Integrated Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation
Effective conservation requires a dynamic process of (1) strategic planning, (2)
implementation of management actions, and (3) evaluation of effectiveness. This process of
“adaptive resource management” allows managers and scientists to proceed with critical
conservation actions in the face of scientific uncertainty. When properly applied, the process
permits us to deliver management actions while simultaneously allowing us to learn from and
refine our understanding of the effectiveness of those actions.
Planning develops the population and habitat objectives for specific groups of birds.
Scientists and managers most familiar with each bird group, particularly its life history needs
and limiting factors, should initiate planning. Effective planning also requires consideration
of many non-biological factors, such as existing land use, public attitudes, and budget
constraints. Therefore, involvement of top management, the public, and decision-makers is
crucial.
Implementation delivers the specific conservation projects or other management
actions necessary to protect and conserve bird populations. Implementation is most
effectively carried out in an integrated fashion, combining the overlapping habitat and
management needs of each bird group as part of an overall landscape-level strategy.
Integration of bird conservation activities is one of the core principles of NABCI.
Implementation requires the participation of the widest possible range of public and private
partners. NABCI can benefit even more broadly from working with partners whose primary
agendas may not focus on birds, but who still share significant conservation objectives.
Evaluation measures how effectively conservation actions and strategies have
achieved overall conservation goals. Although it requires sound scientific information and is
critical to ensuring that conservation goals are being achieved, evaluation is not an end in
itself. Evaluation activities include analysis of changes in bird populations and assessments
of habitat quality and availability. They also encompass targeted studies where critical
information is lacking for determining future priorities, and assessments of specific
conservation programs. Effective evaluation should increase our understanding of the factors
limiting bird populations and how best to address them, thereby contributing to an iterative
process of revising the conservation strategies and goals developed during the planning
phase.
· Toward Landscape-Level Conservation
Managing the conservation of the more than 700 bird species that
occur in this country is not practical on a species-by-species basis.
Each species may use many different habitats during the year and
each habitat type often has unique management challenges.
However, at the scale of landscapes, the needs of many different bird species overlap to some
degree. Therefore, by combining management needs for species that use the same types of
habitat, the needs of a variety of birds can be addressed simultaneously—increasing the
efficiency and effectiveness of specific management actions and reducing costs.
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By also applying this same approach to the needs of other wildlife species, agriculture, and
development, planners can define the nature of future landscapes. All of society’s interests,
including such needs as flood control, public health, and bird conservation, must coexist on
our landscapes. A central goal of NABCI is to help build the partnerships that will achieve
truly integrated conservation, and design and promote sustainable environments to help meet
the needs and desires of future generations.
· Forging Broad Partnerships for Bird Conservation
All conservation ultimately is local. The public and private
organizations in each part of the United States and other
countries are most knowledgeable about local conditions, needs,
and opportunities. They are also most empowered by successful
conservation activities in their areas. NABCI adheres to the
vision of regionally based partnerships that build on local knowledge
and enthusiasm to promote conservation activities for all groups of birds.
Joint ventures, formed to implement the North American Waterfowl Management Plan,
provide the most effective model that exists today for public-private conservation
partnerships. They have actively involved federal, state, and local governments and a wide
range of non-governmental conservation organizations in effective partnerships to generate
“on-the-ground” conservation. All joint ventures share the common characteristic of being
dynamic, self-directed partnerships that deliver science-based habitat conservation in a
distinct geographic area, consistent with national and international bird conservation plans.
The existing joint ventures that have already taken steps to embrace the goal of integrated
bird conservation provide the first examples of the application of the NABCI vision. In areas
without existing partnerships, additional joint ventures will be created to facilitate integrated
bird conservation.
THE BIRD CONSERVATION LANDSCAPE
Bird Conservation Regions
Effective integrated bird conservation requires the maintenance or restoration of landscapes
in which the quantity, quality, and diversity of suitable habitats meet the needs of all species.
Ecology-based landscape units enable efficient conservation because they encompass similar
bird communities, similar habitats, and similar land-use and resource issues. Conservation
partnerships rooted in this context are not new. At their inception, joint ventures were
delineated within ecologically based focus areas of special significance to waterfowl.
Effective conservation delivery requires linking population responses to habitat changes at
multiple spatial scales—from the local scale of individual habitat management projects, to
continental scales at which national and international program planning and evaluation occur.
Consequently, issues of scale have been prominent in NABCI efforts to develop a framework
of ecologically based Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs) encompassing North America. It
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was recognized that BCRs should accommodate varying spatial scales in biological planning
and evaluation, and should be flexible enough to allow for the use of multiple scale-specific
approaches to on-the-ground management. Furthermore, any ecological framework must
respect political boundaries while facilitating innovative bird conservation within states and
provinces and among broader partnerships.
NABCI has adopted a four-level hierarchical framework of nested ecological units as the
fundamental geographic basis from which to deliver integrated bird conservation in North
America. From the most general to the most specific levels, these eco-regions encompass
areas that are progressively more similar in their biotic (plant communities and wildlife) and
abiotic (soils, drainage patterns, temperature, and annual precipitation) characteristics. Eco-regions
at multiple scales may then be combined or partitioned in various combinations to
best reflect both the distribution and needs of birds, while preserving the integrity of the
ecologically based framework. This eco-region approach will facilitate coordination among
natural resource managers working at different spatial scales or in different geographic
regions because eco-region building blocks provide common ground.
The purpose of BCRs is to:
¨ systematically and scientifically apportion the United States and North America into
conservation units;
¨ facilitate a regional approach to bird conservation;
¨ facilitate communication among bird conservation initiatives; and
¨ promote new or expanded partnerships.
BCRs are proposed as a single application of the scale-flexible, hierarchical, ecological
framework adopted for integrated bird conservation; not as static or rigid regional units.
BCRs may be partitioned into smaller ecological units when finer-scale conservation
planning, implementation, and evaluation are necessary. Conversely, BCRs may be
aggregated to facilitate conservation partnerships throughout the annual range of a group of
species, much as the Flyway approach to partnering has been applied in waterfowl
management. Finally, BCRs will also facilitate international cooperation because these areas
of relatively homogeneous habitats and bird communities traverse national borders. The
fundamental principle is that effective, integrated bird conservation can best take place when
executed within an ecologically based, geographical context.
A map of North American BCRs and an accompanying descriptive booklet are provided in
the NABCI outreach document, North American Bird Conservation Initiative: Bringing it all
together. The map reflects our current understanding of species distribution, life history
requirements, and conservation challenges, while the booklet offers a brief description of
each region.
ADMINISTRATION
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The responsibility for leadership in fulfilling the vision of NABCI in the United States rests
with the U.S. NABCI Committee. This Committee will initially be composed of 11
individuals, each representing an entity critical to the success of bird conservation:
¨ Director (or designee), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Co-Chair;
¨ President (or designee), International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Co-
Chair;
¨ representative of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan;
¨ representative of Partners in Flight;
¨ representative of the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan;
¨ representative of the North American Colonial Waterbird Conservation Plan;
¨ representative of Ducks Unlimited;
¨ representative of the Wildlife Management Institute;
¨ representative of the National Flyway Council;
¨ Chair of the Non-Governmental Organization Subcommittee; and
¨ Co-chair of the Federal Agency Subcommittee.
The U.S. NABCI Committee will initially have three permanent subcommittees: a Federal
Agency Subcommittee, a Non-Governmental Organization Subcommittee, and a Monitoring
Subcommittee. The roles, responsibilities, and operating procedures of the U.S. NABCI
Committee and its subcommittees are defined in its charter, but will primarily serve three
functions:
1. To represent the United States internationally within the North American Bird
Conservation Initiative, appointing three U.S. representatives to the Tri-national NABCI
Steering Committee;
2. To provide a forum for interaction among U.S. bird conservation initiatives, and facilitate
collaboration and communication among partnerships delivering integrated bird
conservation; and,
3. To endeavor to increase the resources available for the conservation of U.S. birds
wherever they may occur throughout their life cycles.
The Committee will be staffed by a National Coordinator. However, additional ad-hoc staff
support will most likely be necessary to address the full range of Committee functions and
tasks. The Committee will address the composition and structure of this staff support on an
as-needed basis.
Additional copies of this document may be obtained from:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Division of North American Waterfowl and Wetlands
4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 110
Arlington, VA 22203
(703) 358-1784
Illustrations by Bob Hines, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Printed on recycled paper